(2) YA Ada Byron Lovelace followed nineteenth-century conventions by marrying and bearing children yet still pursued scientific interests. Her friend Charles Babbage produced a mechanical tabulation machine, which Lovelace defined as a computer prototype; her resulting algorithm is often considered the first computer program. McCully clearly and systematically outlines mathematical concepts while painting Lovelace's life as one characterized both by spurts of brilliance and many challenges. Archival illustrations and photographs appear throughout. Bib., glos., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2019

(3) 4-6 This well-researched biography features twenty-one trailblazing twentieth-century American women. They include pioneers of social justice (Ella Baker), science (Vera Rubin), business (Madam C. J. Walker), art (Isadora Duncan), and sports (Billie Jean King). Organized chronologically by birth year, the smartly designed layout includes sidebars, key quotations, and illustrations in McCully's signature style for each woman. A well-written explanation of Second Wave Feminism is appended. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Rita Soltan

(4) K-3 I Like to Read series. Min's fellow-elephant friends are too hot to play. Min finds a creative solution to cool everyone off by engineering a machine to move water from a well to an empty pool. (Bafflingly, she doesn't use her trunk; and the presence of both a well and an empty pool in the savanna is unexplained.) Cheerful pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations show the clever elephant's design process.

Reviewer: Miriam Steinberg-Egeth

(2) K-3 McCully's profile of astronomer Caroline Herschel reveals her complicated yet productive life as her brother William's co-researcher and housekeeper. McCully carefully details all of Caroline's contributions to the creation of "their" telescopes as well as her astronomical discoveries; Caroline's own work was eventually recognized and awarded. Passages taken from Herschel's diaries document her "prickly personality," as do the delicate, spiky pen-and-ink illustrations. Timeline. Bib., glos.

Reviewer: Danielle J. Ford | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2017

(4) YA Beginning in 1810, this dense novel imagines the life of Sakakawea's son (born on the Lewis and Clark Expedition). "Adopted" by Clark, Jean Baptiste Charbonneau attends school in St. Louis, travels the world, and experiences life as a man of both Native and French ancestry. Though rich with historical detail, this serious, old-fashioned novel will appeal to only the most dedicated history buffs. Bib.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(2) K-3 In the mid-eighteenth century, a Dutch sea captain traveled around Europe exhibiting a rhinoceros named Clara. In McCully's genial version of this odd little chapter in history, illustrated with decorative watercolors, she imagines a loving relationship between Captain Van der Meer and "Clarakin." An afterword acknowledges our era's shift in consciousness ("Clara lived in a time before people understood her needs"). Resources.

Reviewer: Sarah Ellis | Horn Book Magazine Issue: May, 2016

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. Young pig Pete is enamored with his new classmate, Bunny. When his other classmates catch on, they tease him, prompting Pete to worry that Bunny will not return his feelings. (Spoiler alert: she does!) McCully's sentences are simple but pointed, making the story appealing to emergent readers. The pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations of the animal-populated classroom add an extra layer of humor.

Reviewer: Kristy Pasquariello

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. Pig Pete, delivering birthday invitations for Rose, gets distracted and forgets the last one meant for Gert. "Where is Gert?" Pete realizes his mistake ("Oh no!") and, before Gert's feelings get too hurt, works quickly to fix it. Short sentences and simple dialogue deliver a readily relatable situation warmly depicted in McCully's loose pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations.

Reviewer: Rebecca Reed Whidden

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. Elephants Ann and Bess want to play school. Min wants to play, too, but Ann tells her not to "step over" the line into their "school zone." In a twist new readers will appreciate, clever Min builds her own rocket and flies over the line instead. Pen-and-ink and watercolor art uses earth tones for landscape and pops of color to highlight the characters.

Reviewer: Julie Bartynski-Fenner

(2) K-3 In the early twentieth century, Lizzie Murphy parlays her love for baseball into a successful career. At eighteen, she seizes an opportunity to play professional ball, where she draws crowds more because of her gender than considerable skill. She's denied a salary until she fights for equal pay. Impressionistic ink and watercolor illustrations subtly depict Lizzie as being slightly different from the crowd. Bib.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2015

(3) K-3 At the close of WWI, champion police dog Etzel is "discovered" in a New York kennel, retrained as an actor for silent movies, and renamed Strongheart. This engaging story, based on the real life of the predecessor of movie-star dogs such as Rin Tin Tin, is illustrated with full-page and spot-art watercolors that aptly convey Strongheart's personality and escapades as well as the 1920s setting. Bib.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano

(2) YA McCully creates a multilayered biography of Tarbell, crusading journalist of the early twentieth century. The author examines the era's social context for women as well as the culture and importance of print media, particularly the influence of magazines such as McClure's, where Ida made her mark. Just as her subject did, McCully allows readers to draw their own conclusions throughout. Bib., ind.

Reviewer: Betty Carter | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2014

(4) K-3 I Like to Read series. Out for a stroll with Mama, five ducklings are swept down a storm drain. McCully's watercolors tell the story, matching the natural language of the text. All ends well with a rescue and reunion with Mama. It's improbable that the mother duck would wait patiently during the rescue and happily ride in a car after, but most readers won't mind the slight missteps.

Reviewer: Betty Carter

(3) K-3 I Like to Read series. Bear Sam wants to play with his older sister and her friend but is told repeatedly, "You are too small...go home." Determined Sam keeps trying, and when the big kids get into trouble, Sam is there to go get Mom for help. McCully's pleasing pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations reflect Sam's resolve, and the easy-to-read story of simple heroics will resonate with beginning readers.

Reviewer: Kari Allen

(2) K-3 I Like to Read series. These books give emergent readers fresh takes on familiar words and subjects. In Ben, plenty of repetition and fanciful cut-paper and ink illustrations take a boy and a red balloon to new heights. In Pete, readers witness picky eating, piggy-style, with pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations. Both books have a picture-book trim size with large font, few words per page, and plenty of white space. Review covers these two I Like to Read titles: Come Back, Ben and Pete Won't Eat.

Reviewer: Julie Roach | Horn Book Magazine Issue: January, 2014

(4) K-3 I Like to Read series. Mouse Nate likes to go slow (he wakes up long after his parents and siblings), but with his mom's encouragement he runs in a race and wins. Pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations picture Nate's family routine and capture his surprising win from last place. Although the bland text is somewhat condescending, the large font size, familiar vocabulary, and repetition are fine for early readers.

Reviewer: Sheila M. Geraty

(2) K-3 Bill "Doc" Key, born a slave, later became a veterinarian. Apparently, Doc taught his astonishingly intelligent horse, Jim Key, the alphabet, numbers, even colors. In her concluding note, McCully is suitably skeptical; but whatever truths lie behind this engaging tale, it's a fine portrait of accomplishment. In McCully's signature watercolors, the pre-industrial setting and its rural inhabitants are realized at their bucolic best. Bib.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2010

(2) K-3 In 1940 France, four young men discovered an extensive cave with six hundred prehistoric paintings. McCully's own handsome paintings vary from crisply defined characters and events above ground to dark, impressionistic scenes within the cave. An appended note cites the "varying versions" of events that McCully drew on for her "fictional re-creation." An excellent introduction to this extraordinary site. Bib.

Reviewer: Joanna Rudge Long | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2010

(2) K-3 Manjiro, fourteen, survives being lost at sea in the 1840s. Rescued by whalers, he's taken to New England where he diligently equips himself with the skills to return to Japan almost ten years later. The story is well told and involving. Alternating half- and full-page watercolors provide atmosphere and historic detail. An informative note and a world map of Manjiro's travels are appended. Websites. Bib.

Reviewer: Roger Sutton | Horn Book Magazine Issue: November, 2008

(3) K-3 In 1814, Gallaudet began teaching his deaf neighbor, Alice, to read. He later helped establish a school that became the cradle of American Sign Language. The illustrations' clean colors and comfortable settings emphasize how loved Alice was. This picture book only touches on the subject's complex history, but it may spur readers to further explore deaf education. Bib.

Reviewer: Deirdre F. Baker | Horn Book Magazine Issue: July, 2008